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TrailGroove Blog

A Blog by the TrailGroove Team

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  • Aaron Zagrodnick 248
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Gear | Trips | Food | Technique | Reading

Entries in this blog

Trips

A Spring Hike on the Buffalo River Trail of Arkansas

A cool, rainy weekend in early April provides the perfect backdrop for a hike on Arkansas’ Buffalo River Trail. Moist spring weather in the Ozarks means the lush hardwood and pine forest is bursting with wildflowers, ferns and all manner of growth, keeping hikers engaged in identifying each plant and marveling over the delicate and diverse shapes and intense colors. Cloudy, humid weather intensifies the deep, vernal greens enveloping the trail, and likewise accentuates the rainbow shades of coun
Susan Dragoo

Susan Dragoo in Trips

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Trips

Waterfall Hikes in the White Mountains of New Hampshire

The White Mountains in New Hampshire are renowned for having the best hiking east of the Mississippi River. Treeline in New Hampshire is around 4,000 feet, and there are forty-eight mountains in the state that rise above this level. Most people have heard of Mt. Washington, infamous for the “worst weather in the world” and mountain climbers of all levels train in the Whites for major expeditions. In addition to the beautiful peaks however, there are a ton of small and large waterfalls throu
eliburakian

eliburakian in Trips

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Trips

Backpacking Royal Basin in Olympic National Park

I stood, breathless and exhausted, on the top of the divide, looking down at the pristine and untrailed cirque that lay ahead. My route bared before me, for a moment continuing on across the three passes that lay ahead seemed achievable. Then my eyes lifted to the glaciated massif of 7,600-foot Mount Mystery on the opposite wall of the basin, and my shaking legs sent an unmistakable message: I would make it no further. Olympic National Park offers hikers rugged terrain and stunning vi
mgraw

mgraw in Trips

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Trips

Backpacking Washington's Scenic Pasayten Wilderness

While much of Washington is a veritable backpacker’s paradise, its three national parks and the areas of national forest closest to the Seattle megalopolis seem to absorb the bulk of the crowds. The Alpine Lakes Wilderness, with its spectacular scenery and name-brand destinations like The Enchantments, and Mount Rainier, with its life-list Wonderland Trail, deservedly draw hordes of eager backpackers. But for those willing to travel a bit further east, incredible backpacking and ample opportunit
Mark Wetherington

Mark Wetherington in Trips

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Gear

Ruffwear Approach Dog Pack: A 15 Year Review

While bringing along man’s best friend on our backcountry adventures comes with many advantages, especially when backpacking it also comes with an extra set of dog-specific gear. Dog food, a section of foam pad, dog jackets, bowls, leashes, and perhaps even a sleeping bag for your dog all serve to increase the weight carried. The solution of course is to have the dog carry some of their own gear or other gear to help offset some of the weight – most importantly of course without overloading the
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

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Trips

John Muir Trail Tips and Hiking Guide

Some years ago I was eating breakfast with my wife, Lyn, at the Vermillion Valley Resort when a group of unusual looking people sat down at an adjacent table. They were wiry and weather beaten and gave off a raised-by-wolves vibe. They proceeded to eat enormous platters of food, which they washed down with beer. They turned out to be thru hikers from the nearby John Muir Trail (JMT). After they told us a little about their trip, I said to my wife, “I want to do that! – or, at least, I want to lo
George Graybill

George Graybill in Trips

4
Trips

Luna Peak: Hiking the Heart of the Wild North Cascades

The Cascades have a reputation for long and brushy approaches, and the Pickets, a subrange in far northern Washington, have a particularly bad reputation in both respects. Even after escaping the dense vegetation, reaching many of the summits would feature more technical climbing than hiking. Together, these two factors have deterred most hikers from even contemplating a trip to this rugged and scenic area. The Pickets' reputation is not entirely deserved: Whatcom Peak at the far nort
seano

seano in Trips

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Gear

Hiking and Backpacking Jargon: Headlamp Lumens (Light)

Lumens are a unit of measurement used to determine the total amount of visible light emitted from a source. In the backpacking and hiking world, you can use the lumen value to compare the amount of lighting you’ll get from various nighttime illumination sources such as a headlamp. Lumen Considerations / How Many Lumens Higher lumen values typically come at the cost of shorter runtimes and decreased battery life. Brighter lights are also generally heavier and more expensive. For general
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

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Gear

Backpacking & Hiking Jargon: Piezo Igniter (Stoves)

A piezo igniter is a push-button stove ignition system that is often integrated directly onto upright canister stoves for convenience and ease of use. The system works via use of a striker that hits a piezo-electric crystal, which generates electricity even when slightly deformed. When the ignition button is pushed the resulting electrical charge generates a spark. With the integrated ignition system there’s no need to hunt down your lighter or use matches – simply open your stove’s g
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

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Trips

Section Hiking and Backpacking Along the Ouachita Trail

I hear the wind approaching as it moves up the ridge. No other sound breaks the night's long silence, not even the rustle of a possum in the undergrowth. It is early autumn in a year of drought; perhaps the lack of water at this elevation keeps the critters away, which suits me fine. We took care to hang the bear bag high off the ground, regardless. Why tempt fate? I drift off, awakening later to an unmistakable sound a few feet away. Zzip! Opens the tent. Zzip! Closes the tent. It is Mary,
Susan Dragoo

Susan Dragoo in Trips

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Trips

A Bailey Range Traverse: Hiking in Olympic National Park

We were five days into a trek across Olympic National Park – at low elevation in mid-summer. Even though I was tired and about as cold as I think I've ever been, I was relishing the experience. I knew it was always the hard days that we remember most, and most of the days on this trip were hard. Really hard. And after this experience down at Cream Lake I knew I’d be able to tell a good story. We also remember the beautiful days. Our ten-day journey – our own take on a traverse of the Bailey
eliburakian

eliburakian in Trips

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Trips

Bridger Wilderness Backpacking: Cartographic Correction

Sometimes even a quick day hike can provide inspiration for another quick trip or a subsequent backpacking excursion, and such was the case during a past trip and on a family day hike in the Bridger Wilderness of the southern Wind River Mountains. The plan: a simple morning in and a brief offtrail excursion to a river shown on the map, a brief afternoon of fishing, and a return to the trailhead before evening drew on too long. Summer sights in the Bridger Wilderness of Wyoming A
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Trips

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Trips

A 2 Night Backpacking Loop in the Wind River Range

On this trip, Ted Ehrlich drove up from Colorado and we hit the Winds for a 2 night backpacking trip over the Fourth of July Weekend. We’d originally planned a point to point hike from the Scab Creek Trailhead on the southwest side of the Winds back to Lander, but logistics were a bit of a concern as well as the driving that would take time away from a weekend Winds trip. In the end, we weren’t too fast getting ready the morning of our start day either, so we quickly scanned the map a
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Trips

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Trips

Hiking in Kentucky's Daniel Boone National Forest

The musical theme from the 1960s Daniel Boone television show ran through my head when, as we drove across southern Kentucky, I saw signs indicating we were entering Daniel Boone National Forest (DBNF). The historical Boone was not actually a big man in physical stature, but his legend, and the actual accomplishments of the Kentucky frontiersman, were sizable. Daniel Boone was a man, Yes, a big man! With an eye like an eagle And as tall as a mountain was he! In 1775, Boone blazed
Susan Dragoo

Susan Dragoo in Trips

3
Trips

Thru-Hiking (the Junior Version): The Triple Crown in Short

Recent books and movies have inspired countless hikers and potential hikers to dream about thru-hiking one of the “big three” of America’s long trails: The Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, or the Continental Divide Trail. However, most people that attempt the feat drop off the trail before completion. A six-month commitment to a hike can become just too difficult. Countless others don’t even try; it’s just too much time away from family and the lives they’ve built. Completing all three tr
JimR

JimR in Trips

6
Reading

By Men or by the Earth: By Tyler Coulson

In the spring of 2011, and after leaving his life as a corporate lawyer, Tyler Coulson set off from the Atlantic Ocean and the Delaware coastline to undertake a western journey across the United States with Mabel, his adopted dog and companion. Destination: Pacific Ocean. Method of travel: Foot. After 3500 miles and millions of footsteps, Tyler recounted the journey in By Men or by the Earth. Of course, there’s a deeper story to most long walks, and Tyler dives into not only the day to day exper
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Reading

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Trips

Iceland Take Two: Hiking the Laugavegur Trail

Carpets of emerald green moss blanketing volcanic slopes; steam escaping through the earth’s crust, depositing hot water in natural pools; glaciers and colorful rhyolite mountains; lush growth in a stunted forest…the Laugavegur Trail through Iceland’s southern highlands offers a visual feast and an epic hike. I first hiked the popular thirty-four-mile trail in 2015 and had often thought of going back. The opportunity presented itself in 2022, when I learned of a new trekking route in
Susan Dragoo

Susan Dragoo in Trips

0
Food

Backpacker's Pantry Fiesta Beef & Vegetable Bowl Review

On the trail my dinner requirements are simple: after a day of hiking and after setting up camp and filtering water for the night, I just want a meal that tastes good, doesn’t take long in the typical fading evening light, and meets some basic calorie and nutrition requirements. And all without too much clean up afterwards. With all these prerequisites in mind, freeze-dried meals can often be found in my food bag – and most of the time these meals will be a selection of staples I’ve come to find
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Food

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Trips

Thru-hiking the Ouachita Trail: Turning Back the Clock

For at least half an hour, the solar eclipse seemed like a total bust. Sure, I could glimpse a chipped-out corner of the Sun with my rinky-dink eclipse glasses, but its apparently-undaunted intensity continued to bounce off the surface of Fiddler Creek, searing my skin and melting the chocolate in my food bag. But as totality approached, the atmosphere finally changed. An eerie glow settled over the landscape, and birds began to chirp their evening songs. The Sun, even 99% covered, ha
Kevin DeVries

Kevin DeVries in Trips

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Trips

Backpacking the Lost Coast Trail: Oceanside Wilderness

The Lost Coast Trail (LCT) in northern California may very well be the best beach hike in the United States. The name derives from the fact that it is the only part of the California coast that is not paralleled by a highway. I’m sure the romantic ring of that name only adds to its considerable popularity. It sounds like something from a teenage adventure novel. “The Hardy Boys and the Pirates of the Lost Coast” There is a northern section and a southern section. The southern stretch is muc
George Graybill

George Graybill in Trips

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Trips

Day Hiking the Ozarks: Exploring a Geological Wonder

The Ozarks of northwest Arkansas and southern Missouri are full of magical places, and thanks to the rest of the world’s inattention to this glorious natural area, solitude can often be easily found. Eye-catching geology abounds as a consequence of erosion of the high plateau that created the peaks and hollows characteristic of the area. Clear rivers and streams lace through limestone bluffs, interesting rock formations, over natural bridges and over waterfalls, making the Ozarks an outdoor
Susan Dragoo

Susan Dragoo in Trips

1
Technique

Tips for Hiking in Mosquito and Tick Season

Every hiking season offers up its own set of challenges, and when it comes to the seasons of spring and summer the presence of flying and biting insects and other related concerns will need to be addressed in many locales. Dealing with insects such as mosquitoes, black flies, and ants along with other concerns like ticks to name a few is a top priority for any warmer weather outdoor excursion. These pests can be anything from just that – a simple pest, or they can even ruin a trip in short
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Technique

2
Gear

How to Select the Best Hiking Socks: Tips from the Trail

Socks have more to do with your comfort while hiking than most of your other gear; however it seems like they sometimes can be an afterthought when packing for a trip. A good sock or a good sock system can prevent blisters and provide you with comfort in nearly any shoe. Selecting the right sock for you means you need to understand the different types of socks that are available. Cotton, polyester/nylon, and wool are the three main types of fabrics used in socks. Cotton has gotten a bad rep
tmountainnut

tmountainnut in Gear

0
Gear

How to Choose the Best Backpacking Sleeping Bag

Much like your bed at home, your sleeping bag is a place where you will be spending about one-third of your time in a 24-hour period. Making sure that your sleeping bag is comfortable, warm, and appropriate for the conditions is essential for getting a quality night’s rest so you can wake up the next day ready to crank out some miles, summit a peak, or simply soak up the natural scenery without dozing off. The good news is that there are plenty of options for high-quality sleeping bags, so
Mark Wetherington

Mark Wetherington in Gear

3
Gear

ULA Circuit Backpack Review

The Circuit from ULA Equipment has been my go-to backpacking pack choice for nearly the last decade and upon review it’s easy to see why: the pack offers both versatility and durability and all at a reasonable price and weight. Thus, the ULA Circuit (or its close cousins) have become some of the most popular backpacking packs out there for lightweight and / or long distance backpacking and thru-hiking. The Circuit backpack offers comfort, adjustability, and efficient storage in a ligh
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

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